The Platinum Guide Blog

Today's tale of love transcends boundaries, where East meets West in a spectacular fusion of cultures at Alex & Ali's wedding. Alex, a radiant Russian beauty, was embraced wholeheartedly by Ali's large, exuberant Pakistani family, marking the beginning of their enchanting journey together. The Whistling Gardens served as the idyllic backdrop for their ceremony, meticulously orchestrated by Cloud 9 Events. As Alex walked down the aisle, the air was perfumed with the scent of bespoke arrangements from In Bloom Flowers. On her wedding day, her cousin-in-law Fatima, from Beaut by Far, worked magic, turning Alex from a Slavic princess into a dazzling Pakistani bride, complemented by the elegant bridal fashion by Zainab Salman, and the heirloom jewelry from the groom's mother whispered stories of love and legacy. Ali, dashing in his attire by Mohsin Naveed Ranjha, stood as a proud groom, his eyes reflecting his love and admiration for Alex. Immediately following the ceremony, the daytime reception was a delight for the senses, with Zauq Live Barbecue serving up delectable delights and Laroque Weddings capturing every precious moment with their lenses. 

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
Ali and I met in London, England, on our first day of work at Bain & Co., a consulting firm. Over time, we became close friends. One day, I hosted friends at my house, and Ali seamlessly took on the role of co-host - filling up our friend's glasses and even taking out the trash. The next day, he asked me out, and I said 100% yes.

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Ali knew how important family is to both of us, so he looked for opportunities to include them in the proposal. The two of us and his brother went to visit my parents in Florida. One evening, we went for a sunset walk on the beach, and Ali surprised me by getting down on one knee! He claimed he had allergies, but I could tell he was tearing up. We all celebrated together that evening.

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
I picked out my dress with the help of Ali’s mom and sister. I wanted a white dress with a touch of red. I found one at Zainab Salman, but it came with a heavy and expensive velvet dupatta. Luckily, they were able to make a custom dupatta for me that was lighter and a better fit for our outdoor wedding.

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
Doing activities together - such as going to see venues or trying out tasting menus. The parts we planned together are by far my favorite!

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
They really liked the outdoor venue - Whistling Gardens is a sprawling garden where guests can go on walks, birds (swans, chickens, and even exotic birds) run wild, and the venue plays a custom fountain show for all the guests. Guests also commented on the food from Zauq. We knew we wanted to have a live barbecue prepared in front of all the guests, and Zauq was fantastic both in terms of the flavor of the food and working with their catering group.

Was there a really special moment in your wedding that constantly replays in your mind?
My two favorite moments were grounded in tradition. First was the Arsi Mushaf, when Ali’s family lifted up my head covering, and we saw each other for the first time in the mirror as man and wife. We have the mirror hung up in our home now, and it makes me smile every time I pass it. Second was the Eastern European bread and salt ceremony, where the bride and groom simultaneously took a bite of decorative bread. Whoever takes the biggest bite becomes head of household (me, of course!)

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Enjoy the process and do as much of the planning together as you can. I have equally happy memories of us picking out parts of the wedding as I do of the day itself!

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
My hair and make-up artist, Fatima from Beauty by Far, did an absolutely fantastic job! I don’t wear a lot of makeup, so I asked her to give me a natural look, and she truly delivered. I felt gorgeous, and my husband couldn’t look away!

Revel in the beauty, the traditions, and the love that shines through in every detail of our features.

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Welcome, darlings, to Sanam & Savanth's tale that unfolded at the magnificent Royalton Splash Riviera Cancun. Every moment of this celebration was meticulously orchestrated by Pyaar Planning, who weaved a tapestry of love and joy through their exceptional planning and design. Amidst the kaleidoscope of colors and emotions, Tulipania & Gama brought dreams to life with their flowers and decor. Sanam emerged, looking like a vision in her exquisite attire designed by Reeta Bhatt. The masterful touch of Alex Corbanezi & Styling Trio further accentuated her beauty. The night was filled with love melodies thanks to the vibrant beats of MVP DJs, who set the rhythm for the celebration. The highlight of the evening was Pyotech's spectacular display of fireworks, which lit up the sky. Romanza's photography immortalized every candid smile and tender glance, creating memories that will be cherished for a lifetime. The seamless travel arrangements by Indian Destination Wedding, Inc. ensured a worry-free experience for all, making the journey to this paradise as magical as the destination itself. They offered travel solutions, blending the essence of Indian hospitality, ensuring that the journey to this dream wedding was as magical as the ceremony itself. Enjoy it!

How did you meet your Groom and when did you know he was "the one"?
We met on a dating app. The craziest thing is I only had the app for 4 days before I deleted it. I matched with Savanth & we clicked right away. We spoke for a month before our first date. We were complete opposites, but for some reason, that was what brought us together. We started to learn about each other and quickly realized we were each other's missing pieces, and the rest is history!

Share the scoop on your Proposal Story!
Savanth planned a dinner for us in NYC and was being really weird that day. He was dropping subtle hints all day, so I had an idea something was up. We usually take the PATH train from Jersey City to NYC, but for some reason, Savanth insisted we take the ferry to NYC that day. We ended up walking to the ferry, and Savanth convinced me to walk past the ferry because we were early anyway for dinner. As we were walking, there was a whole setup. The setup had 2 poster-sized pictures of us, roses, a Marry Me sign, and an infinity rose set up where we stood. Savanth & I have always said infinity is our symbol because the S from my name flipped upside down for the S in his name makes the infinity sign. Savanth got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Our families were hiding in the back, and they came out to surprise us. The next day, Savanth surprised me with a huge engagement party. It was a dream!

Tell us how you went about planning your wedding, and your overall experience with the Venues, Hair & Makeup, Outfits, Decor Theme, and all of the other important details.
We absolutely loved planning our wedding. Each milestone during the process was so precious, and we genuinely did not sweat the little things. We booked our resort a year and a half out and did not see it in person until 2 months before our wedding. We saw pictures of the resort and venue and fell in love. We trusted the process and knew it'd be perfect. When it came to our vision, I knew I wanted it to be a Bollywood Theme fairy tale. I went into wedding planning, thinking of each event from the guest's perspective. I didn't want them to attend a wedding they felt like they had already been to or felt like they were idle and just waiting around. I wanted my guests to be entertained and in awe during all events. Our event started off with the Haldi. We wanted the color theme to be royal blue for our guests and yellow for Savanth & me. Our decor matched the colors, and our theme was inspired by the movie YJHD (super fun and heartwarming). From our entrance to each guest interaction and mini party, we started off event 1 with a bang. That night was our welcome dinner. Our vision was for everyone to interact but not be forced to. We had decor set up all around, including a family tree, an SOS kit, fun facts about us, a disposable camera with tasks like "take a picture with the tallest person in the room," and lastly, a performer. Our performer (@shakesprod) combined Hindi & Telegu songs into one! What was supposed to be a chill night ended up with all 115 guests dancing on the dance floor to our performer, and boy, did this set the bar for the rest of the events. The following night was our Sangeet. We had a huge red carpet where all our guests were being interviewed, and paps were all around them. We had a Filmmare award show where our siblings emceed the night with a fun script. We wanted to keep things fun and stick to the theme, so we had pamphlets of the performances placed on each seat. The night also included a tarot card reader, DIY bangle station, mendhi station, and hookah stations. We ended the show with a couples performance with voiceovers, props, and a standing ovation!! & to top it off, the Sangeet ended with fireworks! Oh boy, now the wedding. Of course, it was filled with tons of surprises. From the baraat to Savanth entering the mandap. In order for Savanth to enter the mandap, my brothers stopped him with a fun wedding contract to sign, followed by my cousins attacking him for his shoes. My entrance was a big dharma production, which was followed by color bombs and my own Kiara and Sid moment when we exchanged jaimalas. The ceremony ended with all my bridesmaids holding signs to remind Savanth that he was taking me away, so he had to pay for the shoes! To end all the events was the crazy reception. We wanted this even to be the most hyped hyped event yet!!! From a unique first dance, which was a combined father/daughter, son/mother, and couple dance to our music video to the confetti blaster to the LED robot to the dhol to the mariachi band to the flip flop station to ending the night with our parents dancing on tables, the reception was a dream. Our guests, Savanth and & I, enjoyed every last second. All our hard work paid off!!

How did you select your bridal lengha or wedding dress? Did you have a favorite color in mind?
This came easily to me because I have been working with the designer Reeta Bhatt since my teenage years. I told her I wanted a light pink lengha with a long train with mine & Savanth's name hand stitched, and oh boy, did she deliver. We designed the dress together and worked closely through WhatsApp for a year as she was located in India. I trusted her fully, and I tried the dress on for the first time 1 month before the wedding. It was everything and more! I fell in love with it, and it exceeded my expectations. Huge shoutout to Reeta!

What was the most enjoyable part of the planning process, and why?
The most enjoyable part was making memories with my family during the planning process. It was a heartwarming feeling to see the entire family come together to plan and help out.

What did your guests particularly love about your Wedding?
Our guests loved our Award Show Sangeet with all the little details and stations!

Do you have any words of wisdom for Brides-To-Be?
Enjoy wedding planning and treasure every moment. It is the one time you will get all your family and friends under one roof to celebrate you. Make those core memories. Do not stress yourself out. Things fall into place. You want to look back on your wedding and planning as a happy moment, so smile and have fun :)

Anything else you want to tell us? We'd love to hear all about your other details! (jewelry, mehndi, venue, cake, bouquets, etc.)
A huge shoutout to our vendors. You guys went above and beyond, and we are so grateful for you guys!!
Farewell, sweet darlings, until we meet again in another tale of love and splendor. See you soon!

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Welcome, Maharanis, to the enchanting story of Elizabeth & Vishwant's wedding. Their journey to forever began at the splendid Hilton Philadelphia City Avenue, a venue that set the stage for an unforgettable ceremony. Elegant Events Planning & Design weaved magic into every moment, crafting an intimate and grand atmosphere accentuated by the stunning floral arrangements from Elegant Events Florist. Bella Angel transformed Elizabeth into a vision of ethereal beauty—their remarkable mastery of enhancing her natural features while weaving in her style. Her exquisite work was a crucial thread in the tapestry of this memorable day, ensuring that Elizabeth looked and felt like a queen. From the ethereal ceremony to the whimsical wonder of the Please Touch Museum for their reception, Brulee Catering tantalized the senses with a gastronomic feast. Their love moved to DJ Ravi Jackson's beats as everyone swayed harmoniously. Lightyear Studio navigated through the celebrations, discreetly capturing the laughter, the tears of joy, and the tender glances. Their photographs speak volumes, transcending time—a story of love, family, and the beautiful beginning of a shared journey. Each frame they crafted is a keepsake, a window to relive the day's magic. 

We say goodbye until our next tale of love and dreams. Stay charmed and inspired, dear darlings.

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Swati & Suman's nuptials are a testament to this rich cultural tapestry. The Hyatt Regency Pittsburgh International Airport, a venue renowned for its grandeur, was transformed into a dreamscape by the creative geniuses at Events Cherished, who also meticulously planned and designed the event. Swati epitomized grace and elegance in her ceremony attire from Sudhir Bhai Saree Wala, her beauty further enhanced by Mayuri Kakkar's masterful hair and makeup artistry. Kadambari Arts artfully applied her intricate mehndi, while her bridal jewelry from Paisley Pop Shop added a regal touch. Swati chose a stunning ensemble by Seema Gujral for the reception, making every moment a picture of elegance. Shilpa Entertainment ensured that the dance floor was always full. Her impeccable music selection and engaging presence made every moment memorable, leaving the guests with melodies that resonated in their hearts long after the night ended. Each precious memory was captured with finesse by Ishan Fotografi. Today's gallery, replete with vivid, passionate, and artistically composed images, offered a visual narrative that brought the day's magic to life. You will love it!

What a lovely wedding! Sweeties, see you tomorrow for more tips and stories. Same place, same time!

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Welcome, Maharanis, to a tale of love and splendor that unfolded at the grand Crystal Plaza, where Shriya & Rikhab's wedding became a breathtaking symphony of tradition and elegance. The day dawned with the promise of lifelong love as KM Events meticulously weaved their magic. The artful touch of Shamima Beauty accentuated Shriya's beauty. Henna by Ash adorned Shriya's hands with intricate mehndi designs, each pattern more exquisite than the last. The air was filled with the aroma of delectable dishes by Moghul Catering, tantalizing the taste buds and adding an extra layer of delight to the already joyous occasion. Legacy DJs set the rhythm of the night, their music a catalyst that brought everyone to the dance floor. In the realm of capturing timeless memories, "Weddings by Shooting Stars (WSS Weddings)" stands as a beacon of excellence, now unveiling its newest transformation that echoes its ethos of being Bigger, Better, and Bolder. In today's gallery, they captured every smile, tear of joy, and loving glance. Their lenses didn't just capture images but immortalized emotions, ensuring that each memory would be etched in time forever. We encourage you to visit the new website of WSS to witness firsthand how they bring wedding stories to life. 

Come back for more tales, loves. Until then, stay inspired and cherish the love that surrounds you!

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